gracefully

Everyday

1. Gracefully means moving in a smooth, light and beautiful way. tree →
2. Gracefully means behaving politely and kindly, especially in a hard moment such as losing. tree →

In the lessons

In PE, dance and gymnastics, you try to move gracefully. In stories, a swan or a dancer glides gracefully. In everyday life and ethics, losing gracefully means being a good sport. Common phrases: «move gracefully», «lose gracefully», «grow old gracefully», «bow out gracefully», «accept gracefully».

Examples

• The swan glided gracefully across the lake. tree →
• The ballerina leapt gracefully across the stage. tree →
• Our team lost, but we shook hands gracefully. tree →
• The cat jumped gracefully onto the fence. tree →
• She gracefully accepted the second-place ribbon. tree →
• Grandma says she wants to grow old gracefully. tree →
• The gymnast landed gracefully on the mat. tree →
• She saluted the King gracefully, while a murmur of admiration rose from all around. tree →

Note

Built from «graceful» + «-ly». The opposite is «clumsily» or «awkwardly». Related: «grace», «graceful», «disgrace» (shame — a different idea).